Rethinking Molecular Mimicry in Rheumatic Heart Disease and Autoimmune Myocarditis: Laminin, Collagen IV, CAR, and B1AR as Initial Targets of Disease

Frontiers in Pediatrics

Robert Root-Bernstein¹ 

关键词: antigenic complementarity;    epitope drift;    hidden antigens;    theory;    co-infection;    group A streptococci;    coxsackie virus;    hyperinflammation;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fped.2014.00085

学科分类：儿科学

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Rationale: Molecular mimicry theory (MMT) suggests that epitope mimicry between pathogens and human proteins can activate autoimmune disease. Group A streptococci (GAS) mimics human cardiac myosin in rheumatic heart disease (RHD) and coxsackie viruses (CX) mimic actin in autoimmune myocarditis (AM). But myosin and actin are immunologically inaccessible and unlikely initial targets. Extracellular cardiac proteins that mimic GAS and CX would be more likely.

【 授权许可】

CC BY